new title block manager transition

[grant_PD]

So the new title bock manager looks fantastic.  And it broke my old title block with all of the record formats while transitioning.  The help file is vague.  Is there any step by step to building a new 2018 title block?

[Samuel Derenboim]

Hi Grant, 

You can do one of two things, either use the same symbol to convert the titleblock, or just copy and paste the information into a new titleblock pio.

I would recommend making one from scratch, its easier than modifying / or converting one.

1. When you create a new one, go into the Titleblock menu (third from top) and click edit title block layout. Just past the linework and your titleblock in there. 

2. When you create a new titleblock, it has margins and a grid. I would recommend disabling / turning them off. I normally use 0" sheet margins all around and sheet fit mode set to outside dimensions.

For sheet zones / grids - turn all options off

3. The most important part is the record information that related your titleblock info parametrically. Once you copy your line work from the symbol and paste it into the editable titleblock layout all the previous record information will be invalidated because the new pio has a new record format connection thats just for the title block plugin in object.

4. when directing text to the record information, instead of linking text to record, under the shape info - the text has a new option all the way at the bottom called - Titleblock data link. Use the information there to link to the title block PIO.

5. When you need custom records that isn't there, add them under Project Data or Sheet Data bars in the plugin object. Once you add them, they will show up in the link values when you use text as linked record information.

 

That's all there is to it to the new tool. Took me about 30 minutes to figure it out. 

 

One major problem - when exporting to Acad - it doesn't link the record information to the attributes of the block like it normally would if you were to export a symbol with record information. So, be aware of this glitch if you use acad and vw side by side.

Hope this helps. 

 

[grant_PD]

VW's very helpful tech support walked me through this.  

[grant_PD]

Now if it could just link images to the record as well....

[ericjhberg]

I'm glad to hear people are working through this. I am pretty annoyed that old sheet border titleblocks no longer work in 2018 and that all the time we spent creating custom titleblocks is wasted and we will have to re-do and relearn for this new tool...frustrating! All of this and you still cannot reference project information in between referenced files within the same project...

 

One thing I am still having difficulty figuring out is how to store custom titleblocks in a workgroup library so that our entire office can utilize our new title blocks.

[Samuel Derenboim]

2 hours ago, grant_PD said:

Now if it could just link images to the record as well....

That would be pretty cool

 

Eric, I understand the frustration, but imagine if they didn't progress? Yes, sometimes the changes will affect our workflow, but generally speaking, the titleblock tool is a little better than the one before - especially since i had to work around the idea that if i had several different titleblocks in one file and some sheets i wasn't using, i would have to come up with a workaround for modifying the record info regarding sheet lists, etc... and a list of changes embedded in the sheets. 
I'm sure things will improve. VW just got blasted with bugs right now, I'm sure they'll get resolved.

[ericjhberg]

8 minutes ago, Samuel Derenboim said:

Eric, I understand the frustration, but imagine if they didn't progress?

 

Thanks Sam, I am glad to hear you have success so far. Honestly, I haven't spent the time necessary to really assess the complete upgrades. What I am more frustrated about is that you MUST transition to the new titleblock since legacy sheet borders are no longer supported. This means I MUST spend that time up front before converting.

 

It's really just an annoyance rather than a large issue. I am all for progress and I am sure we will learn the new way in time, but it is an issue that we need to resolve before even transitioning to 2018.

[grant_PD]

What the technician told me is that the new titleblock manager replaces the old record format with an internal one.  So I understand how the transition might be a difficult one programming-wise.  The new system is very fluid and easy to work with.  But I agree that the transition was rather abrupt.  I could see how an office with lots of titleblocks and whatnot could be very frustrated at having to stop down and rework the system.  

Again, my only wish is that with things like this, VW could get ahead of the curve and just have the video tutorial at the ready when issuing new things like this.  I would highly recommend having 1 video tutorial per new feature/tool.  In today's world, it's no longer "RTFM," it's "W(atch)TFM."

[Samuel Derenboim]

17 hours ago, ericjhberg said:

 

Thanks Sam, I am glad to hear you have success so far. Honestly, I haven't spent the time necessary to really assess the complete upgrades. What I am more frustrated about is that you MUST transition to the new titleblock since legacy sheet borders are no longer supported. This means I MUST spend that time up front before converting.

 

It's really just an annoyance rather than a large issue. I am all for progress and I am sure we will learn the new way in time, but it is an issue that we need to resolve before even transitioning to 2018.

 

I get your frustration. I'm there with you. I had to spend some time doing the same thing on my end as well, and I could see how that could be a problem if you have hundreds of sheets.

 

I've noticed certain things you cannot do in the new titleblock feature - you can't put a time stamp inside. A date stamp is included, but I do not know how to integrate a time stamp. It's useful in recognizing the latest issues that were printed beforehand by seeing what time and date it was printed. But the time stamp tool doesn't work in the titleblock, nor is there an option inside the titleblock tool for one. Perhaps either a script or some command line? Will contact VW regarding that.